Porto Cervo, Sardinia — 12 September 2026 // Photo credit : James Tomlinson
Doyle Sails-powered teams have delivered a standout week at the 2026 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo, with strong performances across the Rolex IMA Maxi 1, Maxi Grand Prix, Class 3 and Multihull fleets.
Five days of racing on the spectacular waters of the Costa Smeralda saw the world’s leading maxi yachts pushed hard across a wide range of conditions, from tight coastal racing to high-intensity windward-leeward battles.
The week culminated in a World Championship victory for Leopard 3, with Joost Schuijff’s Farr 100 taking the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship title after a consistently strong performance across the week.
For Schuijff, the result reflects seven years of continuous development and refinement aboard the near 20-year-old yacht.
“It’s been about incremental changes over the past seven years to keep Leopard 3 competitive,” said Joost Schuijff. “She’s almost 20 years old, yet she’s still competitive across the wind range. And we have a fantastic crew who are exceptional at what they do.”
The Leopard 3 crew echoed Schuijff’s praise for the team behind the campaign, with Australian Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn highlighting the support and commitment of Joost and Laura.
“We’re incredibly lucky to have Joost and Laura,” said Wearn. “They give our team the resources to compete at this level. They’re also great sailors and incredibly passionate about the team. That support makes all the difference.”
The victory was particularly significant for the Leopard 3 team, who dedicated their week of racing to the late Mike Slade, whose long association with the yacht helped establish Leopard as one of the most recognisable names in maxi yacht racing.
Doyle Sails’ Chris Sherlock was thrilled with the result following the final race.
“Joost and Laura have taken what Mike Slade started with Leopard and continued to push this yacht forward,” said Sherlock. “We dedicated this week to Mike, so to finish it with a World Championship win is incredibly special.”
Leopard 3 was joined on the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship podium by David M. Leuschen and Chris Flowers’ Wally Cento Galateia, which finished third. My Song, owned by Pier Luigi Loro Piana, placed fourth, while the American-flagged Deep Blue, the Botin 85, finished sixth.
Across the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship, Doyle-powered Proteus narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth on countback, with Bella Mente sixth.
In the Class 3 Division, Astra secured an impressive third-place finish. Skipper Nathan Honey was delighted with the result.
“It was a bit unexpected, to be honest,” said Honey. “We’ve built a fairly new crew this season, and the yacht is new to our team. To be on the podium here in Porto Cervo is absolutely awesome.”
The Multihull fleet provided another Doyle Sails highlight, Highland Fling XVIII a VPLP Custom 80, taking overall victory in her divsion and Gunboat 72 Layla finishing fifth.
For Doyle Sails, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup remains one of the ultimate proving grounds for high-performance sail design, bringing together cutting-edge technology, experienced crews and some of the most sophisticated racing yachts in the world.
Doyle Sails results — Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2026
Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship
1st — Leopard 3
3rd — Galateia
4th — My Song
6th — Deep Blue
Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship
4th — Proteus
6th — Bella Mente
Rolex Maxi Yacht Class 3
3rd — Astra*
Multihull
1st — Highland Fling XVIII*
5th — Layla
*Partial inventory
Full results can be found here
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // Doyle Sails strives to deliver success through high-performance, high-quality, custom sails that continue to redefine the boundaries of sailmaking technology and innovation; whilst connecting sailors to inspire, support and encourage sailing.
Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those with the same passion. Sailing is in our DNA, and we are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for four decades and counting.